Smart design tips for downsizers

If you’re downsizing, it’s the perfect time to go through your belongings and get rid of all those things that you don’t really need. Once you’ve found your new home, you’ll need to think carefully about furniture that works well in a smaller space. Here’s how to get started:

The first step when downsizing: decluttering

If you’ve lived in your current house for a number of years, there’s no doubt that you’ve accumulated a lot of stuff. Downsizing gives you the opportunity to have a really good clean out and only keep items that you definitely know you’re going to use.

But, what do you do with all the things that you want to get rid of?

One of the first things you want to do is gather your family and friends and ask them if there are particular items that they would like to have.

Then, you can look at what’s left over and decide whether you might want to sell some of the items or give them away for free. For this, you have a couple of options. You can list the items that you want to sell on Facebook marketplace or have a garage sale.

If you have plenty of time, you might like to put those things aside and sign up for the Garage Sale Trail in November.

For items that you want to give away, there are plenty of buy, sell, and swap groups on Facebook where you can offer items for free. Or, check with your local charities to see whether they will take them.

For mementos like your children’s artwork, treasured cards from friends, or even old photographs, consider photographing them so that you have a digital version rather than a hard copy.

Furniture ideas for smaller spaces

Once you’ve started the process of getting rid of what you don’t want, you can start thinking about what you do need in your new home.

Ideally, you’ll take a lot of your things with you, but you may wish to buy some new pieces too. In this case, here are some tips…

• Consider a large couch or sofa rather than numerous lounge chairs. A single couch will fit much better in a smaller space and make the space appear less cluttered.
• Invest in a dining table that is extendable. This means it won’t take up too much space but can still accommodate the family when you invite them over for dinner.
• You might want to consider smaller wingback chairs, either for the bedroom or the lounge to create a nice reading nook.
• Another great idea is to have a built-in desk and study nook with bookshelves in a corner of the lounge or dining area. These usually include a fold-down desk that you can use with the laptop but can be closed when not in use.
• You could also replace your table lamps with wall lights as these take up less space and utilise empty wall areas.

Clever storage solutions for small spaces

Even when you’re downsizing, you’re still going to need enough storage space. For this, you want to think about how you can incorporate storage into your everyday furniture. For example:

• Invest in a coffee table that also offers storage either with drawers or a shelf underneath where you can keep books, games, and magazines.
• Ottomans are also available with storage. These are useful for storing throw rugs and blankets while they’re not in use.
• Consider upgrading your bed to one that has drawers built into the base. You can use these to store your linen and additional blankets. A sofa bed is handy for guests.
• If your new home has a few wall nooks, consider engaging a cabinet maker to install some storage into these – bespoke storage is the best way to make use of space as it’s built to fit.

Thinking of downsizing this year? Get in touch

For more advice on how to downsize and sell your current home, feel free to give us a call. We have plenty of useful ideas to help you make this transition easier and we’re always happy to talk to people about what the market is doing.